Fantasy Book Club discussion

I haven't read that much fantasy. Lately I that's all I have been wanting to read. Other than LOTR and GOT, what are some really good fantasy books? Adult, YA and middle grade. I am reading a few books now The Hobbit, GOT and The Grimm Legacy. I also have Stardust and The Neverending Story that I plan to start next.

It doesn't have to be but I really like Grimm retellings. I loved The book of Lost Things.

I recommend the below. All are first books of a series:

1. The Final Empire : Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson, great world building and magic system.
2. Furies of Calderon by Jim butcher
3. Sabriel by Garth Nix
4. Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor (YA)

The books you're already reading are also good ones.

I'll second all those picks, and say taht you have some good ones already in queue.

Fantasy is atually a pretty wide-genre.

Yuo can't really go wrong with Brandon sanderson, (though, as stand-alones, I'd recc Warbreaker or Elantris before Mistborn.

If your tastes run more towards the "Fairy-Tale" end of fantasy, I'd recommend The Seventh Magpie, The Last Child of Hamelin, or The School for Good and Evil.

Mercedes Lackey, Terry Brook, or Raymond Feist are also good entry points into the genre.

Feel free to check my shelves or ask for other reccs if needed!

Shadowdenizen wrote: "I'll second all those picks, and say taht you have some good ones already in queue.

Fantasy is atually a pretty wide-genre.

Yuo can't really go wrong with Brandon sanderson, (though, as stand-al..."

I believe Mistborn can be read as a stand alone too. If you don't want to continue reading the series you can stop with book 1 and still have an ending. I enjoyed Elantris and Warbreaker but not as much as Mistborn.

Tara wrote: "Shadowdenizen wrote: "I'll second all those picks, and say taht you have some good ones already in queue.

Fantasy is atually a pretty wide-genre.

Yuo can't really go wrong with Brandon sanderson..."

Hmmm, I don't think Mistborn works great as a standalone. Sure, the main story line is resolved, but it's pretty clear there is more to follow

Second those already mentioned, but add Throne of Glass to the YA category

If you enjoy the darker style fantasy books like Game of Thrones check out authors like Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence, and Steven Erikson

So many great recommendations. Thanks everyone.

The Earthsea trilogy, by Ursula K. LeGuin, starting with A Wizard of Earthsea, and Riddle-Master: The Complete Trilogy by Patricia A. McKillip are two classic favorites of mine.

If you like fairy tale retellings, check out the Fairy Tale series: https://www.goodreads.com/series/49798.

Celine wrote: "Hmmm, I don't think Mistborn works great as a standalone. Sure, the main story line is resolved, but it's pretty clear there is more to follow "

I agree, the end of The Final Empire (aka Mistborn, book 1 of the Mistborn series) isn't so much a conclusion as it is a resolution of one problem that leads to an escalating series of consequences. I also agree that you can't go wrong with Sanderson. If you want a less heavy-duty introduction to his work, I second the recommendation for the stand-alones Warbreaker and Elantris.

Too many awesome books to name!

I'll second the "Earthsea" stuff; Ursula K. Le Guin is another you can't go wrong with. Ditto for Patricia Mckillip (Love the "Riddle Master" stuff!), and I'll add Robin McKinley in, too.

If you like your fantasy a little low magic and grimmer/grittier, try:
-Michael Moorcock (I'd start with the "Elric" stuff, which tends to be the most accessible.)
-Glen Cook (The Black Company series would be my first recc from him.)
-Gene Wolfe ("Book of the NEw Sun" is a decent entry point, I think.
-Fritz Leiber (Any of the Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser is absolutely worth checking out!)

For more standard/"modern-era" fantasy..
-David Eddings (The "Belgariad" series is pretty accessible starting point.)
-Dennis McKiernan ("The Iron Tower trilogy" was my intro to him as a kid, though it is admittely a LotR pastiche. Alos check his fairy-tale retellings series.)
-Terry Brooks (I mnetioned him before, but many people cut their fantasy teeth on his "Shannara" series.

I know not everyone likes him, but when I just started out in fantasy I adored Terry Goodkind's series that starts with Wizard's First Rule.

I think you'll have more than enough material to work with for a while :D Happy reading, Shay!

Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner -- admittedly, no actual magic, but swordplay and romance and an imaginary city, and it's an absolute gem of a book.

War for the Oaks by Emma Bull -- one of the first "rock & roll elves" urban fantasy novels.

Besides all the Brandon Sanderson suggestions above, I highly recommend The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan.

From what you say I believe I might have a pretty good list for you. First I agree with TS. You must read The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan. Anyway, here's my list:

Fablehaven
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
The Amulet of Samarkand
The Last Unicorn
The Rithmatist
and finally
Foundling

This last one is kind of laid out weird but it is a wonderful story that is actually a great audiobook.

All these stories have a kind of fairytale element to them that I believe you would enjoy.

Good choices!

I love the "Fablehaven" series. (As well as "The Beyonders" trilogy, though that's more straight-up fantasy than fairy-tale.)

Really recommend Mistborn too. It got me hooked

mistborn is defiantly a must fantasy series.Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set
the riftwar saga buy Raymond e Feist is deffintly a really good series i found personally.Magician

The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe
The Last Unicorn
Sabriel (& in turn books #2 & #3)
Under the Cat's Eye
Chronicles of Ancient Darkness
Assassin's Apprentice (& in turn books #2 & #3)
Fool's Errand (& in turn books #2 & #3)
Dragoncharm (& in turn books #2 & #3)
Tooth and Claw (+ sequel Skin and Bone
The Colour of Magic (+ all of Pratchett's other Discworld novels)

Celine wrote: "I know not everyone likes him, but when I just started out in fantasy I adored Terry Goodkind's series that starts with Wizard's First Rule.

I think you'll have more than enough mater..."

I'm one of those readers in the love camp for Goodkind. I also agree with those that have recommended the Mistborn books (my favourite read of last year).

did I miss it, or did no one suggest Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time??

I think Wheel of Time is a MAJOR commitment for someone who is new to fantasy...

Especially since the quality is somehwat up and down after Book 5 or 6.... (And Book 10 is dowright near-unreadable.)

(Though, to be fair, the same can be said of "Sword of Truth" saga, [though full disclosure, I gave up on that after Book 5].)

Shadowdenizen wrote: "I think Wheel of Time is a MAJOR commitment for someone who is new to fantasy...

Especially since the quality is somehwat up and down after Book 5 or 6.... (And Book 10 is dowright near-unreadabl..."

Just my opinion, but the The Eye of the World is a good stand alone novel and is a nice read for someone new to fantasy.

The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss sold me on the fantasy genre. So good

Second Riyria and Mistborn, two wonderfully told completed series

If you want something truly mind blowing, epic, difficult and rewarding then you can't go wrong with the Malazan Book of the Fallen - Steven Erikson

The Magicians' trilogy is an interesting take on the fantasy school trope

Will also give a shoutout to Robert Jackson Bennett's City of Stairs. Great writer and a wonderfully unique world

The Fantasy Book Club here on GR is just finishing The Dragonbone Chair, which is, I feel an excellent entry into the fantasy genre.

Though a large part is set-up for the future books in the series, they're all excellent reads for new fans of Fantasy. (Even though they're not "official seledctions", most of the people who participated will be starting Stone of Farewell (the 2nd book) relatively soon.

Hm... I kind of feel like I´m like you.

My problem, though is that I don´t usually read the 1st book in the series at all, if sometimes , and some say I miss a lot but after reading the, let´s say, 3rd book of ongoing series, I feel like it´s over and mostly don´t have a need to read it further.

I´d recommend Gentleman Bastards as a series I´ve been following lately.

I'd recommend Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. Its a small novel, really easy to read but simply fantastic and possibly my favourite urban fantasy

Pickle wrote: "I'd recommend Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. Its a small novel, really easy to read but simply fantastic and possibly my favourite urban fantasy"

Good to know, Pickle. I've had that one on my Kindle for a while. It's made it's way near the top of my "to read" list.

I'd recommend either Robert Jordan's The Eye of the World, or Raymond E Feist's Magician.

Stephen Donaldson's Lord Foul's Bane really solidified my love of fantasy back in the early 80's but the book is probably not as well written as the other two.

Shay, have you tried any of the recommendations?

Did they agree with your needs?